Lubricating mechanism for slicing machines



Sept. 20, 1 F. L. VAN WEENEN LUBRICATING MECHANISM FOR SLIC'ING MAC-HiNES Filed April 16, 1927 2 Sheets-finest l Sept. 20, 1932. F. L. VAN WEENEN 1,878,207

LUBRICATING MECHANISM FOR SLICING MACHINES Filed April 16, 1927 v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 e/ fiuemfar mam/WA Patented Sept. 20, 1932 runrransmras PATENT E Y rnANoIscUs L. VAN wnnNEN', or ,RO'IJTERDAM, NETHERLANDS, ASSIGNOR TO U. s.

SLICING MACHINE COMPANY, or LA ron'rn, INDIANA, A CORPORATION or INDIANA LUBRICATING MECHAL TISM FOR SLICING MACHINES Application filed. April 16, 192?,Seria1 No. 184,202, and in' Germany May 22, 1926.

id bination and arrangement of parts shown inthe accompanying drawings and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in .the appended claims. 7 I V In the drawings 1 Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the supporting frame of a slicing machine substantially on line 11 of 'Fig. 2

Fig. '2 is a top plan viewof the-support- "25 ing table and driving mechanism of the slicing machine; I

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the operating plate for the lubricating mechanlsm; I V

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation of the control latch for the lubricating mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on line 5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modification.

The proper lubrication of slicing-machines has heretofore been the cause of considerable difficulty for the reason that they are handled by butchers who are as a rule unaccustomed to machinery and, moreoverydonot like to soil their hands by using an oil can or other lubricating instrument for oiling parts ofthe machine. It is also desirable that the proper amount of oil be used for if anyexcessive oil is employed it is liable to drop off and soil the machine and'possibly reach the parts which come in contact with the meat. Excessive oil. on any of the parts also tends to collect dirt and interfere with the proper operation, as well as produce an unsightly appearance. The present invention provides means for lubricating the various bearings by a single operation and properly proportioning the amount of lubricant.

I rounds therod 37 and normally moves the rod supplied to each bearing.

In the embodiment of the present inven: tion illustrated in the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the base of a slicing machine having the usual drive shaft 11 provided with a hand wheel 12. A reciprocating table 13 is mounted to slide on ways 14 and is reciprocated by a connecting'rod 15 operated by a rotary crank shaft 16. --The crank shaft 16 is secured to an upright shaft 17 which is driven by, a gear 18.1neshing with a co-operating gear 19 onthe shaft 11. "A shaft 20 is provided with a gear 21 meshing with the gear 18 and drives the slicing knife by a wellknown mechanism not shown in the drawings. An oil container22 is supported-within the base 10'and is provided with a filling opening 23 having a removable closure 24. registering with an opening through the top of the base 10. A- plurality of-cylinders 25 are-arranged within the tank 22 and are provided with plungers 26 and intake openings 27. Nipples 28 are threaded into the ends of the cylinders 25 and make tight con-. nection with'the side of the tank 22. The nipples 28 are provided with discharge passages 29 which are closed by spring-held ball valves 30 arranged to open outwardly but prevent return flow of oil to the cylinders 25. Each of the nipples 28 is connected to a conduit 31 which'extends to a bearing orgroup ofbearings of a slicing machine requiring lubrication. It .will be seen from Fig. 2 that: the conduits 31 extend to the bearings for the various drive shafts and also to the contact surfaces of the guides 14. Connection is made, also through the crankshaft 16 to the bearing for theconnecting rod 15. y y The plungers 26 are operated by a plate 32 pivotally mounted at 33 within the receptacle ,22 and provided with slots 34-for en-. gaging reduced portions 35 on the ends of the plungers 26. The plate 32 is provided with a slot 36 at the edge opposite the slots 34 and an operating rod 37 is provided with a re.- duced portion engaging the slot 36. The. operating rod 37 extends through a packing; gland 38 and is connected at 39 to a handle 40. The handle 40 is pivoted atj41 on .ears 42 secured to the frame 10. A spring 43 surto the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, to retract the plungers 26. To lubricate the various bearings it is only necessary to move the handle 40 outwardly which forces the various plungers 26 into the cylinders 25 and di charges the requisite amount of lubricant through the conduits 31 to the various b'ear-' ings distributed about the slicing machine. The amountof lubricant discharged at each operation of the handle 40 is controlled by the position of the intake opening 27 lo'ngitudinally of the cylinder 25. These openings 27 will be disposed at different locations on the various cylinders to provide different amounts of lubricant for the various bearlngs. I

It may be desirable in some cases to permit lubrication of the Ways 14 only at such time as the carriage is in a definite position on these ways. To prevent discharge of the lubricantonto the ways at the other times, a control catch 44 is pivoted at 45 on the side of the frame 10 and engages a notch 46 in the operating rod 37. A spring 48 is provided for holding the catch in position in the notch46. A contact member 49 is secured tothe carriage 13 in position to engage the catch 44 and release the catch when the carriage is in the proper place on the guides 14 for lubrication of the guides. While the carriage is in thi position the handle 40 may be operated to, lubricate the various bearings, including the guides 14. When the carriage is in any other position, the catch 44 will lock the rod 37 and handle 40 against operation.

It will be seen from the drawings and description that the lubricating material is directed into the bearings from the inside and enters the bearings under pressure so that any obstruction which tends to plug the lubricating passages or the bearings is forced outso that the bearings are kept clean and properly lubricated at all times.

In Fig. 6 there is shown an arrangement whereby the lubrication may be rendered automatic. In the form shown in this figure,

the continuous plunger 37 is replaced by a plunger having separated sections 50 and 51. A lever 52 is pivoted at 53 on a bracket 54 supportedon the framelO. The lever 52 is provided with a bearing face which engages the end of the section 50. 'A cam 55 is secured to the shaft 11 in position'to engage thelever- 52. It will be apparent that at 'each rotation the lever 52 will be operated by the cam 55 to compress thespring 43 and operate the rod 50, This will move the piston 26 inwardly to discharge a quantity ofoil from the cylinder 25; thus oil will be supplied to the bearings at each rotation of handle 40 outwardly, as in the form previously described, which will cause the end of the rod 51 to operate the lever 52 for discharging oil to the bearings. This operation will occur irrespectiveof the position of the cam 55,,for the reason that the parts are in proportionto permit the rod 51 to impart a greater movement-to the lever 52 than is imparted to it by the cam 55. The cam "is properly located on the shaft11to dlscharge the lubricating material at the most desirable position of the operating parts. The handle 40 is provided with a suitable 'detent 57 whichengages spaced recesses 58 51 is moved inwardly to limit the movement.

of the lever 52 and consequently the length of stroke of the piston 26. In this way the quantity of oil discharged at each operation of the piston by the cam 55 is regulated so that the correct amount of lubrication 1s supplied to the bearings; In order that the device may properly operate for short strokes of the piston 26, a check valve 60 is provided for each of the cylinders 25 to prevent backward flow of the oilfrom the cylinder when the stroke of the 13185011181101] suflicient to'close the port 27 I claim i '1. A slicing machine-comprising a reciprocatingtable, a guide for said table, mechanism for supplying lubricant to said guide,

and automatic means controlledby said ma anism when said table is in certain positions on said guide.

7 2. A slicing'machine comprising 'a reciproeating table, a guide for said'table, means for discharging lubricating material onto the surface of said guide, locking mechanism for preventing operation of said discharging means, and means controlled by said table for releasing said locking mechanism when said table is in position for proper lubrication of said guide. r I

3. The. combination with a slicing machine having a plurality of bearing surfaces and a reciprocating table, of lubricating mechanism for said slicing machine comprising a tank, cylinders connected with said tank, plungers for discharging lubricant from said cylinders to said bearings, a common operating'rod for actuating said plungers, a lock for liolding'said rod against operation at times when it is undesirable to have the bearings lubricated, and means connected with said reciprocating table for releasing said lock when said table is in a predetermined position.

4. In a slicing machine having a reciprocable'table, an oil reservoir, an oil pump in said reservoir, a rod movable lengthwise for actuating said pump, a member to hold said rod against movement, and a member attached to said table and adapted to engage said first-mentioned element to release lubricating said bearing surfaces, and lock- 7 ing means connected to said table for preventing operation of said common device in certain positions of said device so that the bearing surfaces will be lubricated at such times as will insure most efficient lubrication of the bearing surfaces without permitting the lubricant to be distributed on parts of the machine where it is apt to cause spoliation of the substance being sliced due to contact therewith.

6. A slicing machine comprising a movable carriage, a bearing surface upon which said carriage moves, means for lubricating said bearing surface, and means for preventmg operation of said lubricating means while the carriage is in a predetermined position on said bearing surface.

7. A slicing machine comprising a movable carriage for sup-porting the substance to be sliced, means for moving said carriage so that slices may be cut from a substance while the same is supported on said carriage, bearing surfaces for the movable parts of said carriage, means for lubricating said bearing surfaces, and means for preventing operation of said lubricating means except at predetermined times during the movement of said carriage.

8. A slicing machine comprising a movable carriage for supporting the substance to be sliced, means for moving said carriage so that slices may be cut from a substance while the same is supported on said carriage, bearing surfaces for the movable parts of said carriage, means for lubricating said bearing surfaces, and means for preventing operation of said lubricating means except at predetermined times during the movement of said carriage comprising a locking means normally held in operative position and movable out of operative position by an element which moves in timed relation with the mlove-' ment of said carriage.

9. A slicing machine comprising a movable table, a support, cooperating bearing surfaces between said table and said support, automatic means for lubricating said bearing surfaces while said table is in a predetermined position along its path of movement, manual means for operating said lubricating means, and means for preventing the operation of said manual means except at times when the table is at the position in which the automatic means is operable to lubricate said bearing surfaces.

10. In a slicing machine, the combination With a baseportion of an actuating shaft for operating the movable parts of said machine,

an Oilreservoirfan oil pump communicating with sa1d reservo r, an operatmg rod for sa1d pump and a cam on said shaft for reciprocating said rod as said shaft rotates, said.

cam actuating said pump to cause the flow of oil from said reservoir to the surfaces to be lubricated only while the parts of the slicing machine-arein a predetermined position of adjustment. 7

11. In a'sli'cing machine the combination with a substance support, of means for'moving said substance support, bearing surfaces for said support which guide said support, means for lubricating said bearing surfaces comprising an oil reservoir, means for forcingoil from'said reservoir to the bearing surfaces to be-lubricated, a divided rod for operating saidlast mentioned means,said rod comprising two sections, an operating handle for one section of said divided rod,'a cam for operating the other section of said divided rod, and a rotatable shaft upon which said cam is mounted, said cam shaft being operated in timed relation to the movement of said substance support, said first section 0-perating through said second section "to actuate the means for forcing the oil to the lubricatingsurfaces. a

12. In a slicing inachi-ne the combination with asubstance support, means for moving said substance support, bearing surfaces for saidsupport which guide said slicing support, means for lubricating said bearing surfaces comprising an oil reservoir, means for forcing oil from said reservoir to the bearing surfaces to be lubricated, a divided rod for operating said last mentioned means, said" rod comprising two sections, an operating handle for one section of said divided rod, a cam for operating the other section of said divided rod,'a rotatable shaft upon which said cam is mounted, said cam shaft being operated in timed relation to the movement of said substance sup-port, said first section operating through said second section to actuate the means for forcing the oil to the bearing surfaces, and means for preventing actuation of said first mentioned section, except when said support is in proper position for lubrication.

13. In a slicing machine the combination inc oil from said reservoir to the bearing surfaces to be lubricated, a divided rod for opsaid cam is mounted, said cam shaft being operatedin timed relation to the movement,

of said substance support, said first section operating through said second section to ac- I tu'ate the means for forcing the oil to the bearing surfaces, and meansofor preventing actuation of said first mentioned; section, except when the support is in properposition for lubrication.

14. A device as claimed in claim 11 in which means is provided for positioning said first section in such a position that said second section cannot be operated by said cam during movement of said support. p,

15. In a slicing machine having movable parts thereon, bearing surfaces between said movable parts, a lubricating means for lubricating said bearing surfaces, and means for preventing operation of said lubricating means while said bearing surfaces are in predetermined positions relative to each other.

16. In a slicing machine, the combination with ,a' movable element,a guide for guiding said movable element, lubricating means for lubricatmg said gulde, means for actuating said lubricating means when said movable element is in one position of adjustment, and means for preventing actuation of said lubricating means When said movable element is in another position of adjustment.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 29th day of March, A. D. 1927.

FRANCISCUS L. VAN WEENEN. 

